Bimini 2020 - June 21-28th

[ifly4fun]

Hi All!

I wanted to start a separate thread from the early interest one to see if anyone else is interested in putting a group together for these tentative dates. It will be my first time crossing so I'm hoping at least one veteran will be interested in joining us on these dates. I'm taking a few queues for afsigma's thread last year in the hopes we can get a nice group together. I have no problem socializing the crossing and working out any details on rates, etc to ease the workload if someone else whos made the crossing will step up and lead that part.

My dates are flexible - my preference is arrive in FL on the 20th, cross on the 21st, and return on the 28th. However, i'm free to adjust if the group preference differs and of course whatever the weather has in store for us. I'm current booked at Bimini Sands (VRBO) for 21-28th with a slip as well.

About Me: I've owned boats for about 10 years, and currently have a new-to-me 2015 AR210, which I plan on running it through its paces between now and then. I'll be driving down from Virginia with my 13yr old daughter so wouldn't mind meeting up with anyone heading down I95.

I'll keep this post updated with those interested/confirmed/booked.

Can't wait to meet some new faces and get out on the water!

-Jeff

Edit: Adding Confirmations, changed dates, tentative plans:
__________________________________________________________________________
6/21 [Planned] Group
@ifly4fun Bahia Mar 6/20, VRBO Bimini Cove 6/21-28 [Adults] 1 [Kids] 1
@amccoy AIRBNB Bimini Cove 6/21-28 [Adults] 2 [Kids] 2
@Lowstar Bahia Mar 6/20, Bimini Cove 6/21-28 [Adults] 4
@Kevin Sargent AirBnB 6/21-28 [Adults] 4 [Kids] 3
@ThatJeepGuy Bimini Cove 6/21-28
@Hamp Bimini Cove 6/21-28 [Adults] 2
@Phil Goshen Bahia Mar 6/20, AirBnB RW House 6/21-28 [Adults] 4 [Kids] 4
@jctaylor Bahia Mar 6/20, RW Condo 6/21-28 [Adults] 2 [Kids] 1
6/22 [Planned] Group
@robert843 RW House 6/22-27 [Adults] 3 [Kids] 2
@Andy S RW House 6/22-27
@Gofish206 RW Hilton 6/22-27/28
6/25 [Planned]
@tim h Bimini Cove 6/25-29



Tentative Schedule
6/20 Arrive Ft. Lauderdale
6/20 Launch boat at Harbour Towne Marina $20/launch includes first day parking. $20/night to park here trailer must be attached.
6/20 Park Boat/Trailer at Self Park FLL email gm@selfparkfll.com attn: Stephen and mention Jetboaters for $10/day Thanks @Lowstar !
6/20 Move boat from Harbour Towne to Bahia Mar Marina, have boat fueled, loaded and ready to depart. ($60/night, Ouch!)
6/20 Stay at Bahia Mar Hilton
6/21 Cross to Bimini
6/28 Return

 

[Betik]

I assume you have read the prepare for Bimini thread

 

[ifly4fun]

I assume you have read the prepare for Bimini thread

You bet, and just about all the other crossing threads I could find here.

 

[Betik]

The biggest thing is weather, if you get good weather you can cross alone. Aside from weather if you can make it with Andy and Robert that will be your best best

 

[amccoy]

I might be in on this trip. I'll be coming from MD so I'll also be on 95. Looks like a 17 hr trip for me to Miami, I would want to break that up into two days for sure. I like the idea of getting to Miami on 19th or early on the 20th and getting the boat launched. Crossing on the 21st and 27th works for me weather permitting.

I have a 2017 242 and no salt water experience. Will probably cross with the wife and both kids (14 & 18).

Thanks for all the advice from the veterans.

 

[swatski]

Hi All!

I wanted to start a separate thread from the early interest one to see if anyone else is interested in putting a group together for these tentative dates. It will be my first time crossing so I'm hoping at least one veteran will be interested in joining us on these dates. I'm taking a few queues for afsigma's thread last year in the hopes we can get a nice group together. I have no problem socializing the crossing and working out any details on rates, etc to ease the workload if someone else whos made the crossing will step up and lead that part.

My dates are flexible - my preference is arrive in FL on the 20th, cross on the 21st, and return on the 27th. However, i'm free to adjust if the group preference differs and of course whatever the weather has in store for us. I'm current booked at Bimini Sands (VRBO) for 21-27th with a slip as well.

About Me: I've owned boats for about 10 years, and currently have a new-to-me 2015 AR210, which I plan on running it through its paces between now and then. I'll be driving down from Virginia with my 13yr old daughter so wouldn't mind meeting up with anyone heading down I95.

I'll keep this post updated with those interested/confirmed/booked.

Can't wait to meet some new faces and get out on the water!

-Jeff

That's the way to do it! I most likely won't be able to join this year but will be watching (and feeling very envious!!!)

--

 

[Betik]

+1 @swatski
and you know the weather will great off course!!!

 

[SlowDorado]

just some Food for thought. here's what I did last year.

I trailered from Northern New Jersey and took I95 all the way. if you don't mind the Tolls, 95 is an easy straight shot with plenty of fuel readily available. i mostly used truck stops as they were easy to get in and out and has plenty of room to park.

- stop at Sweatmans BBQ in south carolina. they're only open fridays and saturdays. best and cheapest all you can eat bbq.

- i forgot who recommended it, i stayed at the Holiday Inn Express in Fort Pierce, FL the night before launching. the hotel has plenty of parking for trucks w/ trailers and has nighttime security in the lot. the hotel is 90 minutes away from Dania Beach. I topped off all my coolers with ice from the hotel ice machines.

- filled up the boats fuel tank at a gas station. ( i purposely left the tank almost empty so it was lighter to trailer)

- stopped at Anglers bait & tackle in Dania Beach for squid and ballyhoo. its cheaper to buy in Florida than to pay 2x at Resorts world. there's also a 7-11 across the street for last minute provisioning. (you'll need squid for bait and also to feed the stingrays at honeymoon harbor)

- launched the boat and parked the truck and trailer at Harbour Town marina. took our time up river to Bahia Mar. topped off the boat at the fuel dock and tied up at our slip for the night.


roundtrip for me was about 2650 miles and it was well worth it.

 

[swatski]

- i forgot who recommended it, i stayed at the Holiday Inn Express in Fort Pierce, FL the night before launching. the hotel has plenty of parking for trucks w/ trailers and has nighttime security in the lot. the hotel is 90 minutes away from Dania Beach.

That's been @Bruce and @Rana's hideout for years I believe, we used it as well, very convenient.

--

 

[Lowstar]

My dates are flexible - my preference is arrive in FL on the 20th, cross on the 21st, and return on the 27th. However, i'm free to adjust if the group preference differs and of course whatever the weather has in store for us. I'm current booked at Bimini Sands (VRBO) for 21-27th with a slip as well.

i’ve been looking at these dates for a while and I’m glad some others are interested so I could tag along, We were already to go in 2018 but that’s when the shit hit the fan at the Sands and had to cancel.

 

[amccoy]

I'm in, just booked Bimini Cove (airbnb) for June 21 - 27.

 

[Bruce]

Lauderdale Marine just north of the draw bridge in Fort Lauderdale has a variety of bait and is a great opportunity to top off the tanks. I believe that squid was $20 for a 5 pound bag.

It is nice to have a separate ice chests and an abundance of large zip lock bags for the bait.

Frozen raw shrimp also work great as bait and for feeding the rays. They eliminate the need to cut the bait.

 

[Rotorwash]

We are going on the same date. Six adults on board leaving Fort Lauderdale at daybreak on the 21st

 

[Lowstar]

Just booked the sands for the 21st - 28. booking 7 days is cheaper than 6. I’m hoping that someone else will want to stay the extra day.
looking at staying at the Bahia mar Hilton Saturday night. In 2018 the group had an arrangement with Self Park to park the truck and trailer, a lot cheape than some of the other places. I’ll have to look through my old paperwork to see what I can find.

 

[ifly4fun]

Just booked the sands for the 21st - 28. booking 7 days is cheaper than 6. I’m hoping that someone else will want to stay the extra day.
looking at staying at the Bahia mar Hilton Saturday night. In 2018 the group had an arrangement with Self Park to park the truck and trailer, a lot cheape than some of the other places. I’ll have to look through my old paperwork to see what I can find.

I booked Bahia mar for the 20th as well. I'd be interested in any parking options you have too.

 

[robert843]

Hi All!

I wanted to start a separate thread from the early interest one to see if anyone else is interested in putting a group together for these tentative dates. It will be my first time crossing so I'm hoping at least one veteran will be interested in joining us on these dates. I'm taking a few queues for afsigma's thread last year in the hopes we can get a nice group together. I have no problem socializing the crossing and working out any details on rates, etc to ease the workload if someone else whos made the crossing will step up and lead that part.

My dates are flexible - my preference is arrive in FL on the 20th, cross on the 21st, and return on the 27th. However, i'm free to adjust if the group preference differs and of course whatever the weather has in store for us. I'm current booked at Bimini Sands (VRBO) for 21-27th with a slip as well.

About Me: I've owned boats for about 10 years, and currently have a new-to-me 2015 AR210, which I plan on running it through its paces between now and then. I'll be driving down from Virginia with my 13yr old daughter so wouldn't mind meeting up with anyone heading down I95.

I'll keep this post updated with those interested/confirmed/booked.

Can't wait to meet some new faces and get out on the water!

-Jeff

Edit: Adding Confirmations:
__________________________________________________________________________
@ifly4fun Bahia Mar 6/20, VRBO Bimini Sands 6/21-27
@amccoy AIRBNB Bimini Cove 6/21-27
@Lowstar Bahia Mar 6/20, Bimini Sands 6/21-28

@Andy S and I plan to go very similar dates @Andy S has made trips to the Bahamas every year since 2010 I think and I have been doing so since 2015. We likely plan to depart Ft Lauderdale after you as travel restraints will probably have us coming over June 22nd. So there should be a few of us who have done trip before on these dates. I have even made a video series on how to do this on youtube I will post the link below.

 

[ifly4fun]

Just booked the sands for the 21st - 28. booking 7 days is cheaper than 6. I’m hoping that someone else will want to stay the extra day.
looking at staying at the Bahia mar Hilton Saturday night. In 2018 the group had an arrangement with Self Park to park the truck and trailer, a lot cheape than some of the other places. I’ll have to look through my old paperwork to see what I can find.

Can’t ever argue with more time in Bimini. I added the 28th as well and update the thread with the new dates

 

[Lowstar]

I just spoke with Steven the general manager at Self Park in Dania Florida and he said that he can accommodate pickup truck and boat trailer in his lot. The lot is fenced in and he has security that patrols at night, the truck and trailer will have to be separated because the trailers are parked in the gravel lot in the back. If you reserve the spot under jet boaters he will honor the $10 dollars a day fron previous years and then it’s only a 15 minute Uber ride back to Bahiamar. You can email him at gm@selfparkfll.com attention Steve and he will reserve you a spot and send you a confirmation email. the address is 901 Old Griffin rd Dania, fl 33004. Phone # 844-727-5355

 

[ifly4fun]

I just spoke with Steven the general manager at Self Park in Dania Florida and he said that he can accommodate pickup truck and boat trailer in his lot. The lot is fenced in and he has security that patrols at night, the truck and trailer will have to be separated because the trailers are parked in the gravel lot in the back. If you reserve the spot under jet boaters he will honor the $10 dollars a day fron previous years and then it’s only a 15 minute Uber ride back to Bahiamar. You can email him at gm@selfparkfll.com attention Steve and he will reserve you a spot and send you a confirmation email. the address is 901 Old Griffin rd Dania, fl 33004. Phone # 844-727-5355

Thanks!! Looks really close to Harbour towne too for launching.

 

[Lowstar]

We are going on the same date. Six adults on board leaving Fort Lauderdale at daybreak on the 21st

Are you also leaving from Bahia Mar and staying at the sands ?